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„hich. At Lower Ralea, Virould Be Denved Jom Ub Iniportati...

„hich. At Lower Ralea, Virould Be Denved Jom Ub Iniportati... image
Parent Issue
Day
15
Month
December
Year
1845
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

„hich. at lower ralea, virould be denved Jom Ub iniportation. Such unes excaed' the revenué ratea, aíá are ndUmposedtoraisemoheyfor the support of Le roverntnent. f Congress levy a duiy, for rcvenue. of one per cent on a iiven article. it will produce a given a: mount of money t the treasu.y and wiU incidentally and necessánly afford protection or advantage. to the amouni otoñe percent to the home manufac túrér of a similar or like -article. over the importen If the duty be raised to ten per cent it wül produce a greater aíttount ofmonéy, ond afford greater protection. U it be still raised to twenty, twenty.five or thirty per cent, an it. as it i raised, the revenue derived from. it ti found to be increased, the protefc'tujn of advantage will also be increased ; but if it be raised tri thirty-ona per cent.; and it is fonnd that the revenue Otoduced t that ráte is leB than tlnrty per cent, it ceasös to be a revenue duty. The precise point in thé ascendin Bcalé of duties al which it ia ascérttimed from experience that the revenue ís greatest, is the maximum rato of duty which can be laid for the bdtta fidtí purpose of collecting monëy for the support of gövernment. To raise the duties liigher than that point, and thereby dl? ininish.the amount collected ia to levy them for protection mereiy, and not for revenue. As long, then, as Cougress may gradaally increase the rate of duty on a given articlo, and the revenue is increased by such increase of duty, they aro within the rovenue standard. When they go beyond that uoint, and as they increase the duties. the roveuue is diminished ordestroyed, the act censes to have it for its object the raising of money to support gövernment, but is for protcct'um mereiy. It does not follow that Congress should levy the highest duty otv all articles of import vcWrh they wili;bear within the revp'nue standard ; for such ratea would probably produce a much larger amount than the eoonotnical administration of Kovernmen would require. Nor doos it follow that tho duties ou all arliclea should bo at the samo, or a horizontal rate Same articles will bear a mucli hiirher revenue duty than others. Be low the maximum of the revenue stan dard 'Congress may and ought to lis crimínate in the rates imposod. takmj care so to adjuat them on difterent arti des a to produce in the aggregate th, nmMint which, when ad.lcd to tho pro tteeds of sales of public lanas, may b i,eedd to P;iy tho economical expense of the eovenimenr.tu levytngataiiff of dimes, I . ongress a exercisc the taxing power, and for ptjr nnset of revenuo may select the objocts of taxation. They muy exempt cortan. aríicles aUojrother. and pennit tbcir i „ortation freeofduty. Oa othftrt they a mnv impose lowdulies. lt these í e3hould be Irttbraced sach artices as are in gönöral use, and cspocially such as are consumed Uy the lkbctrec and the I tioor, as well as the weahhy citizen- ' bare shoald be taken thut all the great ' i„tprc3tsofthe country, manufcictures, ] acriculture. commerce, iiavigatkm, and i the mechanic arte, should as far as may i b- practicable, de.ino equal advautfigo from the imidcntal protoction which a iut ystem of revenue duties mny ard. Taxation. direct or indirect, is a borden, and i' should be so imposed as to opérate as equally as may be on nll classes.ui tho preportion of iheir nbility to bear it T maketlw taxiirg poWet afi actual benefit to one clas, neccíHarily increpes tiie burilen of tho othw beyond their proportion, and won ld be manifostly unjust. The terms "protoction to A raen - 'flan'industry." tfrc of popular import ;- bat they shon-ld apj)ly itrtêer a just system. to all the vaiiou- btarrclïeri of indusfry in our country. The farmer or plan f who toila vcaVly in his field, is euira-rwd in '-domerttic iudnstry," and is as much entitled to have btó labnr "protectetï," as the rrïauufacturer, thoniau of commerce, the navigator or tho rrfcehanc, wlur are otigö'ged al' i' "domestic índuRtrr,': m their d'iííerent pursuits.- Tho j.nrrí íab-ora of all thee classes con' stitute the agrigate of the 'doin'estic indutry"ofthon'ation-, an'd t h'tfy ure equally erttitled' M a1 naliüti'a -j)roteclion." Na on'e of them1 can justly claim' to be fhe exclusive recipieuts of "protection," which cair otíly be" allowed4 by increas. ing burdas orr the '-cfomostic industry' of the othT8.If these v ïews iVc correct, it rertfams fo t enquire hm fort the tariff act of 1S42 j is consistent with thentf. That many of t the provisión of that act are in t ion of üte cardïnïl princtpltes here laid down, all must concede. The rates of t duty imposetl by it on some a-ticles are 1 prohibitory. and; on oitiers so high as i greatly to diminish importations, and' to i produce a lasa amount ofrevenue than would be derived frorn írtwer rates.- i Thet opérate as "protection meVely," to I one branch of '-dornestic indufitry," bv taxing othev branches. By the introduction of mínimums, or assutned and false values, and by the impoiitionofspecific dutiea the ihjustice andinequaiilyoftheact oflS42, in lts practical operattons on diiTerent classes and pursuits. are seen and fok. Mwy of the oppressive d'uties imposed by it and'er the operation of these principes, range from one per een, to xtíote tlmn twohundred percent. They are prohibitory on eorrre articies, and partially so on others, and bcar most heavily on articies of rommon necesstty, and but lighily on' artictes of luxury. It in so framed'that much the greatesi búrden which it imposes is thiown on labor and the poorer classes who are least able tobearit, while it prertects capital and exemptsthe rich fromp&ying iheirjust proportion of the taxatiöif reqinred for tho support of government. While n protects the" capital of the wealthy man' ufacturer, and incrfsasea his profits. it does not benefit tn operatives ór laboren in his emptoyroent, whose wages have rtot been increased by it. Articies ot prime niceaaityor of counequaliiy and föw price. used by thB rü&sses of e peo pie. are in many instances, eubjected by it heavy taxes, whiío articies of finer ' quaiity and higKer price, or of luxury, which can be used only by the opulent,re lightly taxed. It imposea heavj and ftjífst burdens on the farmer, the planër, thé commercial man, and thoseof all itherpttreuits except the capitölist who las made his investment in manufactures. UI the great interests of the country are lot, as nearly as may be practicable, ejually protected by it. The goverfiment in theory knows no listinctiori of persons or classes, and ihould not b'estpvv up'on' some favors and mvileges which álf otherí may not eny. It was tho purposé' of ita illustrious "ounders to base tho inslitutions which they reared upon the great and unchanging prirïciples ofjustice affd oquity. concious thát íf administered irt the spirit in which they wero coucéivcd, they wouldbe feit only by the benefits which they diffused, and would secure for therriselves a defenco in the hearts of tlie people, more powerful than btanding armies, and all the means and appliances invented to sustain government founded in injustice and oppression. Tho well known fact that the tariiT act of 1842, was passcd by a majority f ne cite in thé Senato, and two in the House of Representativos, and that some o: Üise who feit themselvea constrained únttertho' peculiar circumstances exist ing at the tintie, lo vote in its favor, pro claimed its defects. and expressed thei doterniinaiion to aid in its modificador cin the firdt opportuttity, aflford strong an conclusive evidence that it was not in tended to be permanent, and of the ex pediency and necessity of lts thoroug revisión. In reeommending to Con.ress a reduction of the present ratea of cl ut y, and a revisión and modificaiion of tho act of 1842, l am far from entertaining opinions unTriendly to the manufacturera. On the coutrary. I desiro t seö therii prosperoua au far as they can be so, without impo.ointr unequal burdens on other interests Tho advantage under any system of in direct taxation, even within the revenuc standard, must bc in favor of the manu facturing interest and of this no othei interest vvill complatn. I recominend to Congress the abolitioi of the minimum principio, or iBSumi arbiirary and false values, and of speci ficd duties, and the swbstitution in thei - place of ad v alore m duties, aa the fairei - and most equitahle indirect tax whic r can be imposed. By the advalorei . principie, all articles are taxed accordm 3 tn their cost or value, and those Wdk „ ai e of inferior quality, or small cost, be e only thejust proportion of tho tax wil 8 those which are of superior quality greater cost. The articles cousumed l , all are taxed at the same rate. A symn of advaiorem revenue dulies, witli ( proper discriminationsand proper guarda sgaindt frauds in coHectihg them. it ia uotdoubred vvill afford ampie incidental advaiitages to tlio manufacturera, and en able them t.) derive as great profits as can be dorived fmm auy other regular business. It is believed ihat such a sys tem, strictly wilhin a revenue standard, wiÜ place the manufacturii?g interests on a slal)le footing, and insure to to their permanent advántage; while it will, as tioarly as may be practicable, extend to all the great intorests f the country the neidental protection which can be afford ed by our revenue laws. Sucli a system, wheu once fiimly established, wnu!-l be permanent, and uot be subject to the constant complaints, agitatioiis and changos which must ever ocenr, when dulies are not luid for revenue, but for the "protection inorely" of a favored interest. In the deiiberatlons of Congres on t)iis subject, it is h ped that a spirit of mutual emicession and compromi.se bet ween cónflicting interests may prevail, and that the result of their labor may bc crowned with rhc happiest consequonces. Bylhc constitution of the United .States it is providcd that "no moncy sliall be drawn from the treasury but in consequence of approprialions made by law." A public treasury was undoubted con" templatod and intended to be created, iti which the public tnoney should be kepi from theperiod of collection until need ed for public uses. In the collection anc dtHburaemtmt of the public money n agencies havo ever been cmployed b; law, except tmch as were appointed v . the government, directly responsible U it, and under ifs contrel. The safe keep ng of th public money should be con ' fufed to a public treasury created by law . and under like responsibility and oontro "' It is not to be lmagined that the framer of the constitution could have inteudehat a treasury should be created as a laco of deposite and safe keeping of he public money which was irresponsi)le to the governmcnt. The first Congress under the constilïtion, by the act of the 2d of September [789, ' to establish tho Treasury Departa nent," provided for the appointment of vtreasurcr. and made it his dutyto re;éivo and' keep the moneys of the' United States," and "at all times to submit to the Secretary of the Treasury and the Comptroller, or either of them, the inspections of the moneys in his handvJ. That banks, national or state, could nut havo been intonded to be used as a substituto forth,O treasury spoken of in the constitution, as keepers of the public money.is manifest frorfl the fa'ct, that at that' tirrïe there' was no uationaï' bank, and hut three or four State banks ot capital oxisled in the country. Their employmcnt as depositónos was at first resortcd to, to a limited extent, but with no avowed intention (( continuing them permanenily, ín placö of the treasut'y of t"ho constihitiori. VVhen they were afteiwards f rom time to time ehv ployed. it was f rom' róbtWes ot süpposed convewience. Our experience hasshown. th&t.wneli banking corporations have beon tht keepers of the public money, and boei thereby made in effect the treasury, tbl eovemment can have no giiarantee tha iú can command the use of its own rtion ev for public purpes. The late BanI of the United States prbved to be faitlv less. Tho State Banks which were af terwards employed, proved faithless.But a few years ago, with milhons o public monBy in their keeping, the gov ernment was brought almost to bank ruptcy, and the public credit seriousl; impaired, because of their inability or in dispositioti to pay, on demand, to thnblic creditors, in the only currency ] oguized by tho constftulion. Their i ailure occurred in a perioá of peace.and ' ncnnvertience nnd loss vnfe siüriered by I i hc public from it. Had thö country i jeen involved in a fureïgn war, tlmt i onvenience and loss would íiave been i m:ich greater, and might liaVe resulted n extreme public calamity' The public moneys should not bo minutad with the private funds of banks or individuals, or l)e used for private purwnea. When kis placed in banks for safe koeping, it is in effect Inancd to hem without interest, and ia loaned by hem upon rntoiest to the borrowers rom them. The public money is converted into banking capital, and is used and loaned out for the private profit of bank stockholders ; and when called for (as was the case in 1837,)t may be in the pockots of the borrower.s from the banks, nste&tl of in ihe })ublic treasury con: tcmplated by the constitution TIir framers of tle constitution couldnevei have intendtíd that the money paid into the treasury should be convorted to privato use, nnd placed beyond the control of the governmont. Banka which hold the public money, are often tempted, by a desire of gain, to oxtend their loans, increase their circulation, and thua stimulate, if not produce a spirit of speculation and extravagauce which sooner 01 later, must re sult ih ruin to thousands. If the public money be not permitted to be thus usad, but be kept in the treasury and paid out to tho public creditors in gold and silver the temptation aiïbrdod by its deposite with the banks to an undue extensión " of their business would be checked.while i tho amount of the constitutional curren cy left incirculation would be enlarged, í by ite employmant in the public collec . tions and disbursements, and lie banki themsclves would in consequonce b . found in a safer and sounder condition. ; At present the State Banks are em - ployed as depositoties, but without ade r quate regulation of law, whereby tb public money eau be secured against tb n casualities and excesses, revulsions,su: d pensions and defalcations. to which.froT over issues, overtrading, and inordinat ir desire for gain, or oiher causes, ar st constantly opposed. The Secretary h the treasury nas in all casos, when it rn practicable, taken collateral security ft r the amount which they hold, by tl ;h plodge of stocks of the United States, ar such of the states as were in good cred lh Some of the deposit banks have giv or this doscription of security, and othe n' havo declined to do so.Entertaining the opinión that "the ;eparation of the moneys of the goyern■nent from banking institutions is indisienable for the safety of the funds of Me govërnmënt and the rights of the peitpie." I reccommond to Congress that provisión be made by law for such sep-j itration, and that a consututional treasury be createcl for the safe keeping of the public money. The constitutional treasury reccomendod is designed as a secure depoeitory for the public money, without j anv power tn inak e ïbarié'.ór discounts. or to issue any paper whatever as a currency or ciiculation. 1 cannot doubt thnt Biich a treasury as was contemplated Wy the constitution, should be indepen, dent of all banking corporations. The money of the people should be kept in the treasury of the people created by law, and be in the custody of the agents of the people cliosen by themselves, accoiding tothe forms of the constituüon ; accntiAvho ai e directly responsible lo the government, whoare under adequate bóiidfl and oaths, and who aro subject to severe punishment for any embezzlement, private use, or misapplication of tho public funds, and for any failure in other respecls to perfoim their duties - To say tbat the people of their govern ment are incompetent, or not to be trust ed with the custody of their own money in their own treasury, provided bp themselves, but must rely oii tho presi dents cashiers, and stockholders of bank ing corporations, not appointed by them no responsible to them, would be t concede that thpy we re incompetent t self giivernment. In roccommending tho cstablishmer of a constitutionol treasury, in which th public money shall be kept. 1 desire th? adequate provisión be made by law ff its safety, and that all executive discn tion or control overit shall h romovei except such as may bo necessary in d recting it disbursement in pursuance annronriations made by law.Under our present land systcm, 1 ing the minium price at which the public lands can be entered to ne ollalr and twenty five cents per aere; large quanti ties of inferior lamí remain unsold because they will notcomraond tlmt price. From the records of the Gennral Land Office it appears. thar, ofihe remaining landd unsold in the several States and Territories in whicb they are sUuated, thirty-nine milltons onehinidred and five thousand five nundred and seventy seven seres li%ve been in the market, subject to entry more than twenty years; forty nine rnillion six hundred and forty-four acres for more than fifteen years; eeventy three millious seventy four thousand and six hundred acres for more than 10 years. and oue hundred and six millions one hundred and seventy six thousand nine hnudred and sixty one acres fr more than five ycara. Much the largest portion of these lamí will continue to bc unsaleable at the minium price at which they are permilted to be sld, so long as lnrge territories of lands from which the more valuable portions have notbeeti 1 selected' aio annually brought into market by the Govurunient. With the view to the sale and settlo ment of those inferior lands, l recom rrtPnd' thnt the price be graduated anc : reduced below the piesent mir.imura ratt ; confiniñg the sales at the roduced p'icei . to settier8 and cultivators, in limitei : quantities. I f graduated and reduced ii , 'pfice for a'litnited term to o.ie dollar pe . acre, and after the expiration of that pe . riod fora second and third' term to low " er rate, a' large portion1 of these land . would be purchased, and many worth; . citizens, who are unabln to pay highe i vates, could purchasö homes for thëm . selves and families. By adopting th . pulicy of graduation1 and reduclioh-tirice, these inferior lamia will be sold n jr their real valué, while the States in 8 rbich they lio will be freed from the t 'convenience, if not injustice, tu which í bey ure subjected, in conaequence of 1 tie Uniled States continuing to own large a uantities of public landa within their c mordéis, not liable to taxation for the c upport of their local government. I recommend the continuanco of the ( olicy of granting pre-emptions, in its nos! liberal exteut, t 11 thos wrho have ! eltiedormay hereafter settle upon the 1 Kiblic lande wUether aurveyed or , i iui veyed. to which tho Indian title may i jave been extinuitíhed at the time of i etllement. lt has beeu found by expcience, that in consequence of corrtbinations, purchasers and other cauátís, a vjry Binall quantity of the public Unida, when sold at public auctioü. commando a better price thau the minimum rate rstablished by law. The settlers on the public lamis are, however. rarely able to secure their homos and imnrovements at the public sales at that rate' because these combinations, by meansof tho capital they commaud, and their superior ability to purchase, ronder it impoasibloj for the aettler to compete with them in the market. By putting downallcompetition, these combinations of capitalists and speculators are usoally enabled to purchase the lande, iucluding the improvemeiit of the settlers, at the minimum price of the government, atid eitherturn them out of their homes, or oxtort from them according to their ability to pay, doublé or quadruple tfie amount paid to I the government. It is to tho onterprise and perseverance of the hardy pioneeis of the West, who penétrate the wilder ness with thoir families, suflering the dangers and hardships attending the settlement of a new country, and prepare the way for the body of emigrants who, in the couise of a few years uaually fol low them. that we are in a great degree indebted for the rapid extensión and ag grundizement of our country. Experience has proveu that no portioi ! of our pop jlalion are more patriotic thai the hardy and brave men of the frontiei i or more roady to obey the cali of thei , country, and to defend her rights and he [honor, whenever and by whaterer ent f my assailed. They should be protecte b from the grasping speculator, and seci r red, at tho minimum price of the publ b Manís, in the humble homes which th r havo improved by their labor. With tli t. end ín view, all vexatioua or unnecessa n restrictions imposed upon them by tl s existing pre-emption laws should be r pealed or modified. It is the truepoli ie of the goveinment to afford facilities its cilizen8 to become owners of sm portions of our vast public domain at U „Tl „ , . I .-rk,1ífití rnf ARThe present &ystem of managmg tho ] mineral lands of the United States is ' lieved to be radically defectivo. More than a million of acroa of thö public land, supposed to contain luad and [ other mineral, have been reserved from sale, and numerous loases upon them have been granted to individuals unon a lip1 ulated rent. The system of granting leases bas proved to be not only unprofitable to the government, but unnatiöfactory to the citizens who have gone upon the lands, aml mUvSt. if continued, lay the foundation of much future difficulty between the government and the leasers. According to the official records, the ! 1 amountof rent received by the government for the year 1841. 1842, 1843 and 1844, was six thousand thiee hundred and fifty-four dollars and seventy-fiur cents, while the expenses of the system durins? the sanie period, including salaries of superintendunts agents and clerks ' and incidental expenses, were tvventyi six thousand one hundred and eleven dollars aud eleven cents- the income be■ ing less than one fourth of tho expenses. . To this pecuniaiy loss may be added the , injury öustained by the public in conse ,' quence of the destruction of timber, and - thecareless and wasteful marnier of wor- king tho mines. The system bas given i, rise to much litigation between the Uniri ted States and individual citizens, produ o cini inilation nnd excitement in the mi ner'al región, and involving the goveni it ment in heavy additional expendilures e It isbelieved that similar losses and etn il barrassments will continue to occurwhil r the present sy?tem of leasing these land remains unchanged. These lands ar 1, now under the stíperintendence and car i' of the War Department, with the ordi 3f nary duties of which they have no natu ral or'proper connexion. I recommenihe repeal of the present system, and thai ihese lands be placed uiider Mie superiniendance and management of the General Land Office, as other public lands, and be bruught into market and sold upon sucli terms as Congress in their wisdom may prescribe, reseiving to the government an eqQitóble per centage of I the gross amount of mineral product, and thepreemption principlebecxtended I to the resident minéis and settlers upon them,at the minimum price which may be established by Congress. ] refer yotr to the aecompnnying report of the Secretaïy of Var, for infoimation respecling the prcseni situation of the anny, and its operations dunng the pastyeár; the stal e of the defénce the condition of the public works; nnc our relations with the various Iridian ! tribes within our limita or upon our borders. 1 invite your attention to the snggestions contaiired in that report, in rela tion to these prominent objects oí ria tional interest. orders wero given duung tht i past sunimer, fór concentrating a milíta. ry forcé on the Western frontier of 1 ex as our troops were widely dispersed aiu . insmall detachments, occupying post; . remóte fiom each othor. The promp 1 and expeditious marnier in whióh an ar 5 my embiacing more than haif our peac( l establishmeut, was drawn togéther on ai 1 emergency so sudden, reflecta great ere i dit on the officers who were entruste r witb' the executioTi of these orders, a . well as upon the discipline of the arm itself. To be in strength to deferid an 9 protect the p-eoplé andterritory of Téxas v id the eveiit Mexico should c.ortimènc r hostilities. or invade her térritory with - large army, which she thréatened, 1 ai e thorized the general assigried to tHe Coit f mand of tile army of ticcupation, to mak;quisition for additionaï forcea from 3veral of thu States nearest the Tèxatl ïrritorv, and which could most cxpediously furnish them if, in Kis opinión, a irger forcé han that under IVrs command nd the auxiliary aid which1, umler like ircumstances. s wan autiiorized to reeive trom Texas, should it be required. ["he contingrency upon which the cxcriso of his nulhority depended, has not ccurred. Thé circurnsiancea under vhich rwrt companióa of State ártillery "mm tho city of New Orleana wercificnt nto l'exas, and mustered in the ei vee f the United State's, are fully ated in he report of the Secretary of War. 1 -etíommendto Congres tbal provisión be nade for the payment of these troops, as kvell asasmall number of Texan volunteers, whom the commandiníí general ihought it necessary to receive or muster into our service. Durillo the last summer, the first regiment of dragoons made bXtensive exctifsions thiough tne Indinn country on otir borders, a part of them advancitig tieatly to the possessions of the Hudsoti'a Bay Company in lh north, and a art a3 far as the South Puss of the Rocky moun tains, and the head watoisofthe (ributa ry stieams of the Colorado of the VVes The exhibition of this military forc among the Indian tribes in those distat regions, and the councils held with thei by the commanderu of the expedition it is bolieved, will have a salutary infl ence in restraining them from hostilitie among themsflves, and maintainin friendly relations between them and the United States. An interesting account of one of theFO excursions accompahies the report of the 'ecretary ef War. Ün derthedirections of the War Öopartment Brevet Captain Ktemont, of the corps oí ropographical engineers, has beon employed since 1842 in exploring the country west of the Missiseippi, aud beyonc Kocky mountains. Two expedition! have alrcady been brought to a close.am I thu reports of tbat acientific and enter 1 1 prieingefficer have furniBhed much in teresting and valimblo information. Hi , is novv engaged in a third expedition r but it is not expected thal this ard.uou r service will be completed ili searon t - 1 enable me to communicate the result t d 1 Congress at the present session. 1 The snccessful nse of steam navigatio c on the ocean har been followed by tr y introduction of war-steamers in gre is and increasing numbevs, into the navi y of the principal maritime powers of tl e world. A duo regard to our safety. ai e toan efficiënt prorection to our own lar :y and increasing ommorce demandí a ei to responding increaso on our part. 1 ïll country has greater facilities for thé c( iw Utruction of vessels of this descripti than our, or can promiso itself greaadvantnges from tlieir employment - Thev are admirably adapte! to the protectiion ot ovr commerce, to the rapid transmission of intelligence, and to the coast defonce. In pursuance of the wise policy of a gradual increase of our riavy, I lare 6iipplios of live oak tiraber, and other materials for ship building, have been collected, and are now under shelter and in a state of gooi! preservation, weile iron steamers can be built with great facility in various parts of the Union. The une of iron as a material, especia lly in the consteuction of ateamere, which can enter with safety many of the harbors along our coast now inaccessable to xossel of greater draught, anü in the practicability of constructing them l in the interior, Btrongly recommends tha liberal appropriatiuns ahould be made fo i this important object. Whatever rnay have baon our policy in tho earlier stages of the government. - Mhen tho nation was in its infancy, our i shipping interests and commerce com- paratively ajnall, our resources limited, . uur population 6parse and scarcely ex3 tending beyond tho Jimits if the original thirteen States, that policy must be esJ sentially different now that we have - grown from three to more than twentj n niilüons of people,that our commerce carried in our éhips, is found in even sea, and that ourtciritorial boundarie and settlementshave been so greatly ex panded. Néïther our commerce, nor pu s. long line of coast on the oceat} and oi the lakes, can be suceessfully defendé Ie against foreign agression by means c h fortifications alone. These are essenti? re at important commercial and militar re poiuts, but our chief roliance for this ol ject must be on a well organized, eflE cient navy. The benefits rosullin;? frot id such a navy are not confined to the Alantic States. The productions of the interior which seek a market abroad, aro ílirectly dependant on tho safety and freedom of our commerce. The occupation of the Bilizobelow New Orleant by a hostile forco would cmbarrass, if not st.ignate, tlie wlmle export trade of the Miasissippi, ad effect tho value of the agricultural pvoducts of the entire valley f that mighty river and its tributaries. It has never been our policy to mam tain large standing armtos in time of peace. They are cmitrary to the genius of our free insütutions- would impone heavy burdens on the people, and be dangerous to public liberty. Our roliancefor protection and defence on the land mnst be niainly on our citizon so.l diets, who will ever bo ready, as they have ever Been ready in times past. to inS)V v.:ïlh álaérity.' at thé cali of their countiv.to her defencé. Tfiis desmption Of nrce, however, cannnot defend our coasts. hnibors and inlaml seos, nor nrot.-ct OUT commorcó ort the ocea r ) ! the lakes. These raust be pi Otected by - our navy. ir;- - ()nsidering the increascd naval fn.co, 1 and t-speciallv of sicatn vessele, Correa. I pondiflg with our growlh and importance t as a tiatioii, and proportioned to the m- creaséd and inc.ea5Íng naval power of 5 other nrtions.of vast iñipprtajice as reti gards out safety. and the great and grow- ing iuterésts to be protected by it. I reJ corrimend ihe subject to the faVorade s coneideration .f Congress. V The .eport ,f ihe Postmastér General d heréwilh commiinicafed, contains the de 5) tailed statement of thé operations ot hu e departmëni during ihö pafiM éar. IJ wir a be seén that the i.icomë of the P1 ï. #,11 falUhort of the oxpemhturea tot vear, between one and I wo milnon ol rt SrS. Th defiífeney ha beei causee:y the red u et ion of iho rafea of postare, - hifch was made by the nel of the third . f March last. Nu principie has been j nre geWerally acquiorfced in by the 'em Ie thun that this department sliould 6l airi itaelf by limiting its expenditures to 1 s incomo. Congies.i has never songhl wit 0 rnake it a source of cévenue for gene ful! al pui poses, ucopl fut a slim L poriod üiitig the last war w'uh Uicat Britain, j or should it ever beonme a charge to lie géüeral tróaaüry. If Congres shall ; dhero to ibis principie, as 1 tbink they i )ught, it will be necessary eUher to curaii the preaent mail service, so as to re luce the exponditures, or so to modify he art f)f the third of March last a.8 lo mprove its revonuös. Thè oxtension of he mail service, and the addilionalfacil lies which wíll be demanded by thu ra jid extensión aud increase of population'. nn western frontier, will not admit of snch curtailment as wilt nhatèrially re duce the presettl expenditurea. In the adjustmerrt óf the lariff pf póstages the interëstsbf the pë'ople deniand that the ii)WC8t rates be adopted which will produce the necessary revenuo to meet the ependirures of the department. In tb adjustment. I invite tho attention of Congress to the suggestionsof the Postroaater General on this subject, undor the beliel that sucb a modification of tho late law may be made as will yicld suflïcient P revenue without further calis on the bury, and with very littlo changa in the present ratea of postage. . } I trust it may not be docincd inzIp?rfipn;ite to f the occasion for mo to dwdl for í moinpnt on the ] most eminent citiieh of ftwr country, who, du"nS the iutnmer,that haa jone by, has descended lo i tho Idrrb. Tlo énjoynient of contemplating at tho advanccd age of noar four score yeurs, tho ( happy condition of his country, cheored the laat hours of j4ndrew Jackson, who departod thislifo in the tranquil hope of a blessed iinmorlulity.- ■ (lis death was happy, as his üfo had bcn omincntly useful. He had nn unfaltcring confidence in the virlue and capacity of the p:ople, and in 1 the pormanence of tliat free government which J he had largêly contribulud to oalobhuh and do1 fend. His great deeda had securcd l" hun Iha . affections of his fullow citizens, and il was mi happiness lo wilncsa iho growlh and clory of his country whicli he loved so well. Ito departed 3 amidsl the benedictions dfmillions of freemen . j The nation paid lts tribute to his inemory at lus S oml). Coming generations will Iearn from his 0 cjcamplo the loTe of country and tho rihla of man. In his languago on a similar occasion to the present, M I now commcml you, fellow cititens, to Ihe gnidance of Ahnighty God, with a n full reliance of His merciful providiïiice for Uio ,e inaintcnaiicc of our free insUvutions ; and wuh an carnest supplication, that whaievcr orrors i may be my lol to coinmit in dischargingvhe ar e8 duous dulics which have devolved on me, will finí Ue a remedy in tho harmony and wisdom of you rwl CJUIlflels."

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Signal of Liberty
Old News